TikTok influencer arrested for a second time for allegedly shoplifting at same shop twice and could face a year in prison

22-year-old influencer Marlena Velez, who was previously accused of posting a TikTok haul of stolen items from American department store Target, has been arrested for shoplifting again.

The star, who has more than 414,000 followers on a now-private account, was arrested by the Cape Coral Police Department on Saturday (November 30), after she was alleged to have stolen even more items from the same branch of Target. She received a misdemeanor charge on allegations of petty theft.

Police had responded to a complaint from Target’s loss prevention staff at the retail location in Cape Coral. Velez, who was described as a “known repeat female suspect,” had allegedly been caught scanning a false barcode at the Target’s self-checkout instead of the real barcodes on the merchandise. She was accused of stealing 16 household goods as well as clothing from the store which was worth a total value of $225 (around £175).

“Officers recognised Marlena Velez from a prior arrest and were able to positively identify her,” the Cape Coral Police Department said on Facebook. According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Velez was arrested on Saturday afternoon and police posted a $500 (around £400) bond for her release the following day.

It was only last month that TikToker Velez was charged with petty theft after allegedly stealing more than $500 worth of items from the same Target store. She was reportedly caught on security camera at the self-checkout register using a fake barcode to get items in her basket at less then the advertised price.

At the time, Cape Coral police had posted a picture of Velez on the department’s social media account in hopes the public could identify her. According to the Fort Myers News-Press, an anonymous person identified Velez from her online presence and sent officers a link to her Instagram account, which led police to her TikTok.

It was on TikTok that police allegedly saw Velez had posted a Get Ready With Me Video on Wednesday October 30, where she was showing off the items she had stolen from Target earlier that day. She was also wearing the same outfit she was seen wearing on Target’s security footage. The now-deleted TikTok video also showed her choosing items inside the Target and putting them in her car boot.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office listed Tuesday (December) 10 as the same court date scheduled for her latest arrest. In Florida, a charge of petty theft could result in a maximum of 60 days behind bars. If Velez is charged and convicted for both cases, she could face a maximum sentence of one year in jail.

Velez doesn’t seem to have learned her lesson regarding shoplifting. Many have also been questionning why she needs to resort to shoplifting as she once mentioned in a TikTiok video that the income from just one of her TikTok video matches her boyfriend’s entire monthly earnings.

Velez gained thousands of followers on TikTok from posting about her life as a mother to two children. She was previously arrested in 2019 at age 17 on grand theft auto charges for stealing her friend’s car and crashing it, according to the Express Tribune. Velez was also arrested in July 2023 for shoplifting at a Walmart in Cape Coral.